This invention relates generally to the field of musical instruments, particularly keyboard stringed instruments with strings that are struck by hammers.
The present invention is essentially novel. The instrument is carried by a shoulder strap, somewhat reminiscent of a hurdy-gurdy or accordion, and has a chromatic keyboard with strings that are sounded by hammers, similar to the action of a piano. Unlike any other instrument, the hammers are tossed by key action away from the strings whence they rebound repeatedly to produce tremolo sounds, the volume and tempo of which are sensitively controlled by the manner of pressing the keys. Also unlike any other instrument, the tilt at which the instrument is held by a player provides yet another control of tremolo volume and tempo. Hence the present invention is unique in both its manner of playing and its sound.
The object of the present invention is to disclose a portable musical instrument with a chromatic, finger-operated keyboard and hammers that strike metal strings in tremolo repetition. It is another object to describe a mechanism acting between keys and hammers whereby as much expressiveness as possible can be exercised in the playing of the instrument, i.e., a player can achieve soft or loud notes, slow or fast tremolo, and varying of a single note or phrase instantly.
These objects are realized in accord with the present invention by a light-weight, portable psaltery-type instrument, carried by a shoulder strap, having a chromatic keyboard of not much more than two octaves. A tremolo sound arises from the particular action whereby a hammer is tossed away from the string it is intended to strike whereupon a butt of the hammer impinges a spring which returns the hammer to then strike the string; the natural elasticity of the string then returns the hammer to repeat the process a number of times or until the key is released. The key operates in more than an on-off manner: The force of pressing a key determines the velocity of a hammer strike, hence the loudness; the amount of depression of a key determines the excursion of a hammer, hence the tempo of the tremolo, and the mariner of holding the instrument affects the tone, giving a net versatility that is unique.